Labour's fortunes depend on the union.

That's the argument in The Guardian today. Not surprisngly, The Guardian's writer is more concerned about the fate of 39 Labour MPs who are sent to Westminster by Scottish voters than the need for some proper democracy in England - though the position of England as Europe's only country without it's own parliament these days is recognised.

Tristram Hunt's CIF article is here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/23/glasgoweast.labour

Being CIF you can add your own comment to the debate.

PS, sorry for not posting for so long - been busy at this making a living thing.

Gordon Brown promotes English Regions (again)

Apparently Gordon Brown is planning a campaign to save the union - he must like flogging dead horses, naturally this is bad news for England:

From The Sunday TimesMarch 30, 2008

Gordon Brown to launch Save the Union campaign

Britain's prime minister is preparing to marshall the great and good to fight the threat of Scottish independence

Jason Allardyce and Jonathan Oliver

GORDON Brown is to launch an unprecedented “Save the Union” campaign because he fears the march of Scottish nationalism is becoming unstoppable.

The prime minister told a strategy meeting of ministers at Downing Street that the United Kingdom could only be held together if pro-Union business leaders, academics and civic bodies acted now.

He also proposes to create a network of London-style mayors in English regions to appease mounting resentment against devolution south of the border.

So Gordon thinks that what we really, really need in England, to counter "mounting resentment" about devolution is more Mayors in the "English regions"?

No thanks Gordon, what we really, really need is democratic parity with Scotland and Wales - that means an English parliament where England's MPs can make English laws without influence from Scottish and Welsh MPs who are not elected by English voters. This is called democratic accountability - and we don't have it here in England.

Mayors in the regions do not address England's "mounting resentment" - and can't while England is ruled according to unelected MP's whims and the Barnett formula's inequitable distribution of England's taxes.

The article is here:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article3647158.ece

There is a comments page that makes interesting reading - you know what to do.

Stephen.

2008 - the end of the Union?

According to Iain McWhirter in The Guardian it is.

His article is here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2238275,00.html

This is a Comment is Free article so you can air your views.


Stephen.

The Union with Scotland is dead

Says Simon Heffer in the Telegraph, recognising the fact that seems obvious to all but our current government and opposition parties. The tide of opinion is definitely turning but we still need to demand an English Parliament loud and clear.

The Telegraph article is here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml;jsessionid=IMDRARH0SGDBVQFIQMGCFFOAVCBQUIV0?xml=/opinion/2007/11/14/do1401.xml&posted=true&_requestid=1055704

Stephen